Page 2425 - Week 11 - Thursday, 2 November 1989
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machines and clothes driers. The standards would take into account technological developments which have improved these appliances and would aim to remove inefficient and energy hungry appliances from the marketplace. The ACT Government will give this project strong support and legislative backing if necessary.
The third project aims to increase the efficiency of domestic hot water use and hot water storage. Storage of large volumes of hot water for long periods can be very inefficient. To be efficient, high-quality insulation is needed and the temperature of stored water should be kept only at the level required for use.
Strategies such as improved insulation of storage tanks, turning down thermostats and encouraging the use of cold water where this is practicable have been proposed. In addition, the use of solar power for water heating is environmentally sensible. To make solar power a real alternative for the consumer, much more work needs to be done to lower the initial cost and extend the life of solar hot water systems.
The fourth project aims to look at the efficiency of compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of the normal light bulbs we so often use for domestic lighting. These light bulbs are inefficient. Their output is converted into 95 per cent heat and only 5 per cent light. Their lifetime is only 750 hours. Compact fluorescent bulbs, on the other hand, are four times more efficient and last ten times as long. However, the high cost of the new product could be a problem for consumers.
Senator Richardson's proposed project calls for a trial or some form of study to establish how effective fluorescent bulbs are in reducing electricity demand over a given period. Towards this end, I have asked ACT Electricity and Water to provide me with an urgent report on efficiency projects for the ACT covering hot water storage and domestic lighting. This will, of course, require consultation with the community. Any greenhouse initiative must have community support if it is to work at all.
Most residents would be pleased to use products that are environmentally sensitive. We must recognise that in many cases the high purchase costs of these are a major deterrent. We must also recognise that it will almost certainly take a long time to change people's attitudes and habits. The ACT should be taking action now to encourage people to think about the environment when they decide to buy things.
Mr Speaker, governments must lead by example. I assure members that the ACT Government intends to do what it can to implement these demonstration projects in the ACT, and I will keep the Assembly informed of progress on these issues. I present the following paper:
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